Analytical Chemistry: Week 2

Week 2 of the Science Enrichment Program covered analytical chemistry, the science of determining the composition and structure of matter. The students learned about the applications of analytical chemistry within chemistry, and the importance of analytical chemistry measurements to our daily lives. Examples included environmental monitoring, food, drug and water quality analysis, disease diagnosis, and supporting the legal process. The students learned about and performed three hands-on experiments utilizing chromatography, pH measurements, and water quality analysis. Using chromatography, a laboratory technique for the separation of mixtures, the students were able to discover that black markers actually contain many different colored dyes to give their color. The students analyzed the pH of eight different solutions using litmus papers, pH papers, and bromothymol blue indicator to determine if the solutions were acidic or basic. Lastly, the students performed water quality analysis of distilled water and tap water, comparing pH, copper level, free/total chlorine, and hardness.